Never Let You Go
by GypsyDaydreamer
Summary: SLADIN, SLASH. Slade wants Robin as his apprentice? Seems like such a regular occurance, but this time, he's going to capture his little bird. Unbeknownst to them, the hardships they suffer will bring them closer than they ever thought possible... HIATUS.
1. The Same Old, Same Old

**A/N: **I'M BACK! Surprise for those of you who were watching me, eh? I was pleasantly surprised when I began to compile various messages asking me to continue my writing on FF, as well as DA. So I decided that ya' know, if there's people on here who'd rather stick to just FF instead of transfering to DA, then so be it! I care about those people, too, so I've started of fresh with a new Sladin story, and deleted my older ones so they can be edited and reposted another time.

Please be patient with em right now, as I'm waiting for my new laptop (I'm on my father's right now), and I've apparently overstimulated my muses, and they've been spewing ideas too fast for me to stick with just one. I'm currently working on 5+ different plots, but I'm gonna' try to finish one story before diving into another, because I know I get annoyed when people do that, so I know how irritated you guys probably got with me.

My writings has been getting better, so I'm hoping to attract more prestigious writers with my new pieces...

So here's to a fresh start! -grin-

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Teen Titans or the characters! If I did, it probably wouldn't by classified as a children's show... -

* * *

**Chapter I : The Same Old, Same Old**

The rain pelted Robin almost painfully, landing on his skin with the sting that would normally accompany the prick of a needle. The wind howled and whipped around his lithe body, tugging at his raven locks and moaning eerily in his ears.

The R-Cycle tore around the street corner, tires squealing as they attempted to gain ground on the wet asphalt. The motorcycle slid, but Robin steadied it by leaning smoothly into the turn.

Behind his mask, the boy's eyes were clouded with tears, dripping down and slowly weakening the spirit gum that held his mask firmly in place. He silently thanked the rain, for it camouflaged his tears and helped wash away the many thoughts that thrashed and raged in his head like a caged animal.

"Faster..." Robin whimpered, but his hands nearly crushed the accelerator lever as it was. "I _have_ to go faster..." Frustration and disappointment hung off his every word, as if he thought he went faster, the wind would pity him and tear away the emotions and memories he himself was unable to dispose of.

A sob escaped his lips.

_"Come on now, my pretty little bird." Slade smirked behind his mask, that forever taunting eye focused intently on Robin's own masked gaze."Haven't we been through this before?" _

_Robin snarled, aiming a well placed kick to the back of the man's knee. Slade stumbled, providing the captured bird with enough time to scramble to his feet._

_"No." Robin said, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. "I would NEVER join you Slade!"_

_Robin lunged, dealing out a right hook punch. It was easily deflected by the man. He hissed and whirled into a spin kick that made contact with its target. Slade flew across the warehouse, hitting the ground and bouncing to his feet._

_"Is that all you've got Robin?" Slade asked casually, stepping into a run._

_Robin rolled aside and pushed off his hands, feet smashing into the man's stomach. Slade took hold of his ankles and swung him aside as if he weighed next to nothing._

_"I will have to feed you more." Slade said thoughtfully, stroking the chin of his mask. "You're very thin."_

_Robin growled and forced himself to his feet, yet again running at the masked villain. He kicked out a foot, which was caught, and followed it with a punch. It, too, was also deflected. He cried out as he hit the ground, Slade's boot planted firmly on his heaving chest. He grabbed his ankle in an attempt to move the foot, but to no avail._

_"Let go of me, Slade." Robin said, his voice a cross between a growl and a wheeze._

_"I'm afraid not, sweet bird." Robin could practically hear the smirk in his deep voice. "Not until you agree to be my apprentice."_

_Turning back to face Slade, the blue-eyed teen showered the momentarily stunned man with a barrage of hits with feet and hands alike._

_"I. WILL NEVER. JOIN. YOU." Each word was accented with a sharp kick or punch, attacks which Robin knew would barely faze the other._

_Slade growled in irritation and dodged the last punch, sending Robin right past him. He took the opportunity to grab the boy by his cape, tugging him back before kicking his foot out to knock him at the base of his spine, causing his small frame to stumble forward. Robin flailed his arms, quickly regaining his disrupted balance._

_He spun around and yelped in surprise._

_Slade's face was a mere inch from his own. His eye glinted tauntingly, and the raven was sure he wouldn't live to see morning. He stood stock still, heart thumping wildly as if it might burst through his chest at any moment and flee the warehouse as he wished he himself wished he could. They held each other's gazes for what seemed like an eternity to Robin before any movement was engaged._

_Slade raised a gloved hand and Robin flinched, expecting a firm fist to the jaw. The hand however, came to rest gently on his cheek, brushing over his lips and the tip of his nose. The teen was startled as Slade leaned in closer, his free hand reaching up to snap his mask off._

_It fell to the floor with a clatter._

_Before the boy had a chance to register the lack of coverage on the villain's face, their lips were touching._

_Robin's breathing hitched and he knew his face was absolutely blazing red. Thoughts raced through his head, and he willed them to slow so he could keep up with them. His instincts screamed with warning alarms, and his body lurched backwards in response._

_The raven went flying through the door, his mind raging like the untamed sea, stormy waves crashing against the rocky shore. His vision was blurry, providing for poor navigating conditions._

_It had just begun to rain when the boy leaped onto his bike, knocking his kickstand up and smashing the accelerator lever to the handlebar. The tires screamed against the wet wood, and his abandoned helmet bounced to the ground._

_He left it without a second thought._

The rain dripped past the poorly secured edges of his mask, gathering behind the one-way frosted lenses, and he shook his head to shoo away the offending droplets.

His bike jumped a bit over the entrance of the bridge and he went flying towards Titans Tower. The tires hummed as they passed over the grates, sending vibrations wracking through Robin's body.

Robin turned sharply, nearly plowing right through the garage door before it had finished its gradual rise upward. He relinquished his hold on the bike and it skidded to a halt by the T-Car. He stumbled to the door, raven locks plastered to his forehead and blocking his already poor sight.

Jamming the big red button situated by the light switches, the door slid firmly closed behind the boy and he slowed his pace as he reached the elevator. He jabbed at the button and waited impatiently as it descended to the ground floor. He entered and slumped against the wall, his head flopping into his hands.

"Why?" Robin asked, more to Slade than himself, gripping his hair between clenched fingers. "Why do you always have to play these stupid games with me?" He slammed his head back against the metal wall of the elevator, his clouded mind barely registering that under normal conditions, he would have felt a stab of pain.

He stared at his hands.

The elevator door opened with an annoyingly cheerful _ping_, and he walked into the main room, turning down the hall and stopping in front of his own bedroom door. It slid open with a hiss.

Robin peeled off his wet mask, not even bothering with the removal solvent since the gum was already soggy and weak, and uniform, tossing them in the direction of his hamper. The boy was _not_ in the mood to fight with his laundry right now. He quickly slipped into an oversized t-shirt and trudged across the room.

He collapsed on his bed and was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

* * *

Robin awoke groggy the next morning, his head pounding and his eyes bloodshot. He looked at the clock and was surprised to see that it was almost ten o'clock. He had slept for eleven hours and it felt damn good.

His stomach growled.

The raven trudged out the door after slapping some spirit gum on a fresh mask, unable to bring himself to shimmy into his uniform.

He ran on automatic as he padded into the kitchen and poured himself a bowl of cereal. He didn't notice the other Titans' absence until he caught sight of the note placed in the middle of the kitchen island, and it reminded him of how much he loved Raven.

_Forced everybody out for patrol. Thought you might like to sleep in for once and sort out whatever's bothering you. Starfire offered to make you breakfast, but I told her to leave you be for awhile. If you'd like to talk, we'll be home by noon. -Rae_

Robin managed a smile as he swirled his spoon around in the bowl. He halfheartedly took a bite and stared at the counter, his mind running at maximum power to sort out the events of the previous night.

It had started out with a threat, a few bombs strategically planted on the supportive beams of the Jump City Bridge, a rather gutsy move that would only be initiated by Jump's most ruthless criminal mastermind. Said bombs had been efficiently scouted out and deactivated, leaving only one serious threat to deal with.

Slade.

The man had been oddly quiet lately, lying dormant while the many lower level villains continued on with their various acts of rebellious undertakings. They had thought it odd, the mercenary's silence, and had foolishly dismissed it as a gesture of defeat.

Robin blamed himself for the quick dismissal, as it had been idiotic and oddly out of character for the normally Slade-obsessed teen, but he never thought the man would come up with something so… _minor_. Of course he had known somewhere deep down, that Slade would return, but he had expected some great act of destruction after nearly two weeks of silence.

Never could he had guessed that the man would return with a few small bombs and an offer of apprenticeship. The proposition had been laid out long ago, but each time it was brought up, Robin would throw a fit and decline as physically as he could, usually resulting in a few bruises on both sides of the offer.

The kiss… that had surprised him more than the bombs themselves had... as had the removal of the mask that haunted his once happy dreams. He had seen Slade's _face_. Slade's face... the one thing he longed to see to the point where he was forced to obsess and hatch plans to remove the blasted piece of bicolor metal.

Robin had been stunned by the mask's dismissal, he could have never predicted the move, and he had suffered for it.

Beaten by a kiss.

The boy suddenly didn't have much of an appetite. He pushed his cereal away and rubbed his temples. His skull felt as though every citizen of Jump had come and punched him in the head.

"Ugh..." Robin trudged over and laid down on the black leather couch, curling up in the center curve and hugging the pillow his overtaxed head rested on. He closed his eyes and tried to focus on the soft patter of the raindrops, but his mind kept drifting to the kiss they had shared.

Slade had removed his mask and he had been... he couldn't even think of a word to describe him. Handsome didn't even hold a candle to him! He was unable to even think of a word that surpassed handsome, so he settled for absolutely _stunning_.

His face was masculine and tan, his strong jaw shadowed by fresh stubble. His short white hair was brushed back and managed to look shaggy and well kept at the same time. One eye was shielded from view by a thin black eye patch, while the other glinted dark grey in the poor light that had managed to filter through the dirty warehouse windows.

Robin had immediately found himself attracted to this new man, much to his own horror. He had fled by instinct, an instinct that had kept him from falling quite hard and quite foolishly into Slade's strong embrace.

The boy's eyes burned and he allowed himself to doze fitfully, the handsome face of his enemy lurking in the inky black shadows at the back of his mind.

* * *

Robin's eyes reluctantly fluttered open at the touch of the hand that gently shook his shoulder.

"Robin...?" Raven spoke softly as not to alarm their leader. "Time to get up Robin..."

The blue-eyed teen moaned softly, turning to hide his face in the pillow he was currently crushing between his crossed arms and chest. He felt the couch sink on either side of him, and he knew that he had to get up or someone would sit on him. He glared at the two boys that he lay between. They only glanced at him, obviously embarrassed.

It took Robin a rather awkward moment to realize he had refused pants that morning due to his foul mood. That was alright with him. Let them look. He honestly couldn't even bring himself to care, which part of him was irritated about, as he knew he would mortified once he snapped out of this funk.

The hero rolled off the couch, slowly stalking to the far corner of the couch, where he proceeded to curl up and glare at them with narrowed eyes, hidden behind his mask.

Cyborg and Beast Boy looked rather taken aback by the poisonous glare they were receiving from their leader, but their uncontrollable mouths were silenced by an even darker glare from Raven.

The television was hastily flipped on and the two teens were lost to the world, the sound effects of their video game blaring, echoing softly throughout the halls of the Tower. Starfire sat between them and watched in fascination, while Raven took a seat next to Robin, a book in her hands. She opened it and began to read, casting the occasional worried glance towards the other bird.

Robin appreciated the space Raven gave him, and he_ really_ appreciated her babysitting the other three whilst he rested and thought things over.

The Boy Wonder stared at nothing in particular, mind once again drifting to Slade.

Raven's gaze shifted from her book to the boy curled up next to her, and she looked him up and down.

His masked eyes were focused on nothing, just staring. His hair was tussled and free of all gel and his usual crown of spikes. He was wearing his 'depression shirt', as she called it, an oversized and over worn grey t-shirt that fitted him loosely and draped down his hips. She knew how he refused to deal with the chore of putting on clothes when he was in such a dangerous mood, as he would most likely become angered by his skin tight uniform and become a danger to both himself and others.

The empath sighed and turned her attention back to her book, trying to focus on the printed words instead of the frustration and confusion that was actually _rolling_ off the boy situated next to her.

Somewhere along the lines of page 341, Robin pulled himself from the couch's comforting embrace and trudged out of the room.

They all watched him from the corners of their eyes, but nobody followed.

* * *

Robin stood with his back pressed up against the door, staring at the wall opposite of him. He padded over to his computer and plopped down into the swivel chair, spinning in a quick circle before facing his computer, mildly amused by his childish tendencies.

_Username: LittleBird  
Password: *******_

Robin sifted through his files one by one, keen eyes scanning the many articles he had collected and notes he had so meticulously typed. What he was searching for, he wasn't aware of.

He wished something useful would jump out and say _"Hey! I'll help you out here."_ Nothing ever did.

The boy sighed as he steered the mouse to shut down his computer. A pop up interfered.

_New message for LittleBird.  
Sender: Unknown Username_

_What the hell…?_ Robin glanced around the room in alarm before slowly shifting his gaze back to the monitor. _This account is secret…who in God's name managed to find it…?_ The hero hesitated before he clicked on the link.

A video file enlarged itself to fill the screen, and Robin immediately recognized the face that smirked at him. How could he forget it?

_"Hello, my sweet bird."_ The previously recorded image of Slade spoke casually, as if their little 'indecent' never even happened. _"Have you missed me? I've missed you. I would like to see you again tonight. I have a deal that I believe you will find quite satisfying. I'll see you at midnight, my pretty little bird."_

And with that, his face was gone and the message automatically deleted itself.

Robin stared slack-jawed at the computer monitor, blue eyes wide behind his mask.

He wanted the man to reappear on the screen. He needed to chew him out! There was no way in Hell he was going to meet that psychotic pedophile after what had happened during their last little 'get together'!

The raven's face smoothed before his lips tugged upwards into a smirk.

Slade had forgotten to mention where they were to meet, which gave Robin the perfect excuse to why he didn't show.

* * *

_Whump!_

Robin aimed another well placed kick, almost knocking the punching bag right off its hinges. He laughed as it creaked in defeat.

The boy thanked whatever higher power that was listening that the criminal population had slowed in their scheming today, as it left him with plenty of time to work out his frustrations. He did feel slightly guilty for his ambush on the previously unharmed gym equipment, though…

The alarm rang only once that day, and it was for a minor disturbance in the center of town. Robin had been in such a foul mood that he had beaten the hell out of a very surprised Plasmus before returning his now unconscious human body to its proper location in the Jump City prison's stasis chamber.

Once he had captured the monster, the bird had fled to the gym to kick the life out of some unsuspecting workout equipment, a mission that had been completed quite skillfully.

Robin wiped the sweat from his forehead with a bandaged hand and treated the punching bag to one more strong kick before retreating for a well earned shower. Working out had lifted his mood, so he decided to be lenient towards the now overtaxed punching bag.

**

* * *

**

The hot shower had done wonders for the teen.

Robin tied a fluffy black towel loosely around his hips and draped one over his head, scrubbing it over his damp raven locks. Padding out into the bedroom, the boy noted that it was almost eleven thirty, meaning he had been working out in the gym for almost three hours.

"Oh well." he shrugged, dropping the towels and slipping into his shirt and fresh underwear. He threw himself onto his bed and snuggled his face into the soft blanket.

Yesterday had completely worn him out, but today had been more of a lazy day consisting of sleeping in, one call for trouble, a few hours of exercise and a hot shower.

Long story short, today was a good day.

Robin sighed into his blanket, turning his head to the side to observe the rain droplets that crawled lazily down his windows. He watched them quietly.

"Hello, pretty bird."

Robin would never admit that he screamed like a little girl, nor had he ever planned to, but the secret was outed rather abruptly to one very amused Slade.

_"Slade?"_ Robin spluttered, rolling over to glare harshly at the villain. "What the _hell_ are you doing in my room?"

"I told you we were to meet at midnight." the masked man replied casually, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Robin looked over at his alarm clock, and indeed the blinking red script read _12:00 AM_. How could he have possibly stared at raindrops for half an hour...?

His confusion quickly turned to a mixture of surprise for his forgetfulness and anger for the failure of his plan to avoid the man.

"Hmph." The teen crossed his arms, glaring at his enemy.

"Planning on putting pants on, my little bird?" Slade said, amusement shining in his visible eye.

Robin's face flushed to a deep red and his ears felt as though they would melt off.

"Not that I'm _complaining_…"

The bird blushed darker and resisted the urge to throw himself out the windows that made up his far wall. It was only a few feet from his bed… perhaps a good jump would send him through the glass...

"Would you _get out_?" Robin hissed, sliding off his bed and maneuvering himself into a defensive stance.

"I'm not looking to fight, Robin." Slade said, brushing an invisible piece of lint from his shirt. "I merely came to make a deal." He folded his hands behind his back in that too calm way that always set the black-haired teen off.

_"Get out!"_ Robin snarled, lunging at the man. Slade caught him easily and threw him back onto the bed, pinning him down. "What's your problem? GET OFF ME!"

Slade held the struggling hero down, using one of his big hand to pin both of Robin's above his head. His remaining hand reached up and unclasped the secure hold of his mask, letting it fall into his awaiting hand. He leaned in and pressed their lips together, effectively silencing the boy.

Robin positively melted at the sight of that handsome face, and when their lips touched, he nearly suffered a minor stroke. His face heated to a whole new degree, and he fought the urge to faint right then and there.

_Damn teenage hormones!_ His rapidly processing mind screamed.

The Boy Wonder felt Slade's hand against his naked thigh, and he gasped, providing the man with the perfect opportunity to slip his tongue into his hot mouth, probing and exploring the unknown territory.

A moan slipped from his throat, and Robin blushed deeper in shame. He shouldn't be feeling so hot towards his worst enemy! It was _wrong_!

The kiss was broken by the need for oxygen, and Robin lay gasping to replenish his burning lungs. Slade's hand was still settled on his thigh, and he couldn't fight to move it with his own hands restrained above him.

"Are you going to listen to me now?" Slade asked calmly, raising a brow.

Robin nodded dumbly, fighting the horribly strong urge to stick his tongue out and pant like an overheated dog.

"Good." Slade let the boy up, hooking his mask onto his belt.

"Why don't you put your mask back on?" Robin asked softly, refusing himself the indulgence of staring.

"Because I like to see you blush." Slade smirked. "Red looks very cute on you."

Robin turned away, crossing his arms over his chest and pulling his naked legs up to his chest.

"Didn't you say something about a deal?" he hissed.

"Yes." Slade sat on the edge of his bed, and Robin imagined he was standing _way_ on the other side of the room. "I want you as my apprentice."

"Tell me something I don't know." the boy snorted.

"It's rude to interrupt somebody when they're talking." Robin's mouth dropped open when he realized he was being scolded by a ruthless criminal mastermind. "As I was saying... I want you as my apprentice, and I have prepared a deal that I think you will find quite satisfactory."

"Oh? Is that so?" Robin growled dryly.

"It is."

"… And are you going to tell me about this deal?"

"Maybe."

"What do you mean _maybe_?" Robin snarled. Was the man trying to waste his time? "You know what I would much rather be doing right now instead of listening to you taunt me? _Sleeping._ Goodnight." Robin flung his blanket over himself and turned away from Slade.

"I believe that if I was to take control of something you are fond of, _then_ you would be willing to join me to reclaim what it was that you lost."

Robin moaned in irritation and folded his pillow over his head.

"Or maybe if I had a _few_ somethings. Let's see... what is it that you truly love…?" Slade glanced at the boy, who was blatanly ignoring him. "Alright. I'll choose then. How about your friends?"

Robin's eyes snapped open and he turned to stare at the man.

"My. Don't you look angry."

"You wouldn't _dare_ lay a filthy paw on _any_ of my friends!" The hero had risen from the blankets and leaped towards Slade, tackling him to the ground and straddling his hips. "You wouldn't _dare_!"

"Oh, but I _would_, my pretty little bird." Slade smirked, brushing away the small hands that clawed at his throat. Robin relinquished his hold on the man's neck, staring at him with wide eyes. His arms fell limp at his sides. He stood stiffly and walked over to look out the window. It was still raining.

"… What do you want?"

"As I said before, you give yourself over to me."

Robin gazed out the windows, his eyes glassy and unfocused behind his mask as he thought.

He loved his friends. He loved them so much it hurt, and he would never do anything to place them in harm's way. Did he really even have a choice in the matter? He knew that if he didn't take the deal, Slade would keep fighting them, and he would be risking the safety of his only family if that happened. If he took the deal however, his team would be safe and he would serve Slade. The answer was obvious.

Robin turned to face Slade, eyes burning with tears he refused to shed in front of such company. His mind positively blared with warning bells, but he cast them aside and focused on his number one priority: the safety of his friends.

"I'll do it."

_For my family._

* * *

**A/N:** Damn, I edited my horribly long chapter to be two smaller chapters! -grin- This is high brow stuff guys! I suppose I forgot to mention that I'm gonna' be posting longer stories (I enjoy reading long chapters, and I hope you do, too), so my updates will be moderately regular, but still a bit far apart to give myself time to make 'em nice and hopefully typo free! I'm also starting school in 2 weeks, so I might hit a rough patch, 'cause (unfortunately) I can't take my laptop to school, and that's where most of my shit's located.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this as much as I want you to... it sure doesn't do justice for **Wynjas **or **Jayto **or any of the other amazing Sladin writers, so head on over to their pages and read their stuff!


	2. Come With Me Tonight

**A/N: **So for those of you who have read chapter one, you don't have to read this chapter! I merely cut the previous chapter in two, making it shorter and less grueling for y'all to read. So there. -grin-

* * *

**Chapter II : Come With Me Tonight**

Robin awoke with a chink in his neck and a pounding head full of questions. Slade had left immediately after their deal was made, only tossing him a satisfied smirk before calmly exiting his bedroom via the door. He was still angry, enraged even, but he knew he would come up with an escape plan. If his friends didn't find him first, that is.

"Good morning, sunshine..." he mumbled as he walked into his private bathroom, taking in his reflection in the mirror. "Ready to betray your friends for their own good?" he asked the other Robin, whom said the same as him, his voice laced with sarcastic glee. He laughed dryly and ran a hand through his tussled raven locks, tugging gently at the few knots to carefully work them out.

His late night visitor had caused quite a stir, and the hero's dreams had been plagued by that handsome, rugged face. Said handsome, rugged face had laughed and mocked his worth as he fought hard to rescue his captive friends, whom were nowhere to be found. His dream had taken a drastic turn for the worst, promptly spiraling into a nightmare, and his dream self had thrown open a lone door to reveal the lifeless bodies of his beloved teammates.

Robin shook himself and splashed cold water on his face to rid his mind of the tragic thoughts.

The Boy Wonder's foul mood could only corrode further when he noticed the note that was placed on the edge of his nightstand, sitting innocently in plain sight for him to see. It seemed to jeer at him as he approached and he grabbed it harshly, as if to punish it for taunting him.

_Until tonight, my pretty bird. -S_

Robin growled and tore the paper into tiny pieces. His eyes followed the flakes of paper as they fluttered carelessly to the floor like man-made snow. He turned away from them and flung the double doors of his closet open, pulling out a fresh uniform and roughly tugging it on.

Robin hissed and fell back onto his bed as he struggled to tug his pants on. He fought them bravely, but the gesture merely forced his frustration higher. He gritted his teeth and screamed. His leg slipped through and he wiggled his toes in relief. Attempting to stand and cross the room, the teen cried out as his foot caught on the limp spandex of the forgotten second leg and he fell to the floor with a dull _whump_. He grumbled angrily into the area rug, cursing it and everything around him.

* * *

The four Titans looked towards their leader when the main room door hissed open, mouths open and smiling to greet him. They immediately recoiled, cowering under the little bird's ice-cold glare. Even Raven shrank back into the shadows in which she meditated.

Robin visibly bristled, but instantly felt a stab of guilt in his heart and forced out a smile.

"Morning!" he said cheerfully, bouncing over to dig through the fridge. The ambience of the room lifted and the Titans resumed their previously prepared greetings.

"How was your sleep, friend Robin?" Starfire chirped happily, hovering around the little bird. Robin forced out a warm smile, fighting back the agitation that bit at his lips due to her close proximity.

"I slept very well, thank you." his tongue easily conjured up the lie. He abandoned his voyage into the fridge and settled for a carton of Chinese takeout that was nestled comfortably between a box of tofu bacon and a bowl of fuzzy blue stuff. He swore he saw it wink at him…

With a shudder, the blue-eyed hero slid the carton into the microwave and fingered in the appropriate time, nuking it until it sizzled. Robin tucked into his meal with no lack of enthusiasm, wolfing down the chicken-fried rice.

"Yo, Rob!" Cyborg greeted heartily, sweeping the small boy into his strong arms and placing him gently on the counter so he could maneuver around him without knocking him to the floor. "How 'bout a game of b-ball later?"

Normally, Robin would shake his head sorrowfully, his lips immediately forming some excuse about research or patrol. His mind however, was temporarily unable to comprehend such neglect, and he reminded himself that he had a certain villain nipping at his heels, forcing him out of home and out of his friends' comforting arms. He would use his limited time wisely, he decided, even if it killed him.

"If you think you're up for losing, Cy!" Robin grinned, feeling the warmth of his home, of his friends' love, envelop him and lull his heightened sense of insecurity. "Donkey Kong later, Beast Boy?"

The green changeling looked at him in surprise, but nodded vigorously as soon as the request processed, smiling from ear to ear.

"Awesome!" Beast Boy whooped happily.

The emergency alarm began to shriek just as Robin finished his takeout, which, he discovered once he reached the bottom right corner of the carton, had adopted a bit of the fuzzy blue stuff he had pushed aside earlier. Or vice versa. He'd rather remain ignorant of the answer.

Robin tossed his chopsticks into the sink and rushed over to the main computer, typing in his username and password.

"No big deal." the Titan said, relief evident in his soft voice. "Just a standard robbery, no hostages or casualties."

"Looks like today's gonna' be a lazy day!" Cyborg laughed, Raven nodding solemnly in silent agreement.

"Sounds good to me. Titans _go_!"

* * *

"Well, hello, _gorgeous_."

Robin resisted the urge to throw back his head and scream, turning stiffly to glare at the thief.

"Why the dangerous look, sweet thing?" Red X drawled, sauntering over to the tightly wound teen. "I thought you would be happy to see me."

Robin's masked eyes caught a bright glimmer, and he glanced down at the pleasantly sparkling gem necklaces that dangled precariously from the other teen's belt. An idea began to take shape in his head, and he smirked to himself.

Ignoring the shocked and bewildered looks his friends were casting towards him, Robin forced himself to relax his stance and wrapped his arms around the thief's strong neck. Red X appeared pleased by this gesture, and he wound an arm around the little hero's hips.

"Hm, not playing hard to get this time?" Red X chuckled, his thumb absently stroking the embraced bird's prominent hipbone. Robin merely leaned in close, his hot breath ghosting over the surface of the other's mask, smiling seductively.

"Oh no, love..." he purred, tilting his head to expose the milky flesh of his tender neck. "I'm just playing _you_."

Red X found himself splayed out on the asphalt, his head pounding and his spine aching in protest towards the abuse. Robin stood over him, smiling sweetly as he twirled the shimmering necklaces that were laced around his thin wrists. The thief's hand flew to his belt and, feeling the lack of loot, dropped his head back onto the pavement with a groan.

"Today was _not_ the best day to mess with me, _love_." Robin hissed from between clenched teeth. Red X nodded vigorously, practically leaping up and embracing the recently arrived police officers.

"It started out as a mere lovers' quarrel." the raven-haired boy heard Red X groan pathetically, pointing towards the little hero. "I didn't think it would get _this_ bad! So I left... got lost... I was so cold, so I found cover in a nearby jewelry store..."

Robin sighed wearily, all his energy from earlier drained, and handed the recovered jewelry to a female officer who would return them to their rightful home. She thanked him with a nod and he smiled in return. His face fell as soon as she turned and he sighed again, rubbing his masked eyes.

His team stared at him as he passed, but thought it was best to remain silent.

* * *

By the time the five Titans returned, the sun was beginning its trek across the low horizon,casting the water into a shimmering pool of melting amber. The Tower's windows gleamed dully and they gratefully took shelter inside just as another light drizzle began to fall from the clear sky.

"Zombies, vampires or aliens?" Beast Boy spoke thoughtfully, eyeing each DVD with the poise of a weathered movie critic. "What do you guys think?" He turned and grinned at the other teens, splaying the cases out on the table.

"I say vampires!" Cyborg grinned back at the changeling with equal enthusiasm. He waved said disc, its gory cover art reflecting under the fluorescent lights. "We watched zombies last week."

The remaining heros agreed, some more reluctantly than others. Robin and Raven exchanged a passive glance and settled down on the dark leather couch. Starfire took her seat between Robin and Cyborg, a bowl of popcorn drizzled with mustard occupying her lap. Nobody dared eat any.

Throughout the night, Robin's mind continued to stray, no matter how much effort he cast into the task of paying attention to the shrieking blond whose bloodied face currently occupied the screen. His heart beat rapidly in his chest, but he knew very well that the cause was not the vampire who sucked greedily at the woman's neck, but a certain one-eyed villain. The latter was much more terrifying to him than the former.

He felt a shiver crawl up his spine, and he involuntarily yelped at the shriek that blared from the speakers. The screen faded to black just as the blond woman's green eyes swirled into a hungry red.

_"Oooh..."_ Beast Boy grinned, exchanging a mischievous glance with an equally entertained Cyborg. "Robin's _scared_!"

The two were swiftly slapped to the floor before their smirks had a chance to drop in terror.

"I'm not _scared_!" Robin _humphed_, plopping back down on the couch, arms folded smugly over his small chest. "There's no reason to be scared."

_Oh, but there is..._

Robin beat the voice back, willing it to melt into the murkiest shadows that lurked in the recesses of his mind. The last thing he needed was something to remind him of his own impending demise. He could barely keep it out of his mind as it was.

Beast Boy grinned, raising his hands in defeat. He promptly yawned afterward and bid them goodnight, a half conscious Starfire trailing in his wake.

"I'm gonna' hit the sack, too, y'all." Cyborg said, waving at the two birds. They nodded and Robin wished him sweet dreams, knowing somebody should have his own since he would not be granted the luxury.

Robin sighed and Raven looked at him with her usual blank face.

"Something's been bothering you." she said, placing a comforting hand on the other bird's shoulder. "Care to tell?"

"Nothing's been bothering me." Robin said softly, trying to maintain his icy facade. "What would make you think that?"

"Your aura has been very... out of character lately." Raven said, keen eyes roaming the little hero's face. "I thought maybe it was something we could-"

"There's nothing you can do to help!" Robin snapped. He gasped and his cheeks reddened in shame at his outburst. Never would he even dream of treating any of his friends in such a manner, but sometimes they were just too dense.

"So something _is_ wrong."

"No." Robin said softly, dropping his masked gaze, eyeing the carpet almost wistfully, obviously aching to tell his sister-figure what was plaguing his sharp mind, but unwilling to cast her into a shadow of worry. "I mean, _yes_, but... there's just, um… it's just nothing you should worry about." the Boy Wonder declared, raising his head with the usual confidence he flaunted.

He turned to leave, pausing for a fraction of a second in the doorway.

"I'll make sure of it." he mumbled darkly.

* * *

He didn't like this. He didn't like this at all.

Slade rubbed his neck and sighed irritably, his single eye roaming absently around the room.

His plan had initiated quite flawlessly in the beginning, but it had slowly began to digress the further it proceeded. The more he thought about it, the more he realized how much he had truly messed up.

He had led the child into his trap with ease, planting the new bombs as efficiently as his bumbling minions would allow. The boy had followed him to the warehouse, frustrated and vengeful, his small hands clenched into fists at his sides. His anger sent him flying into a frenzy, as it sometimes did, but he always managed to keep his blows flawless and precise.

Slade had been thoroughly flabbergasted as soon as his lips fell upon his bird's own to silence his overactive mouth. He knew that he had been feeling some sort of attraction to the little hero, but he had assumed it temporary. Apparently he had underestimated its strength greatly, and it had lost him his self control.

He realized now that one seemingly harmless flaw could drastically change his tediously organized plan. For the better or for the worse, he did not know. He had lost his authority over the situation, if only for a moment, and that fact was something Slade could hardly bring himself to believe.

Organization. Oh how it pleased him, but he should have known his plan would be corrupted by the hand of spontaneity. That trait happened to be one of his favorites of Robin's. His pretty bird was fiery and untamable with a heart that positively _burned_ with passion and love. His mind was as well trained as his body, and his movements reflected his plans fluidly.

He was _perfection_.

Slade bit his tongue and silently chastised himself for allowing such foolishness to steal away his self control. Such absurdity was not allowed to even amble within a mile's distance of him, and he would train himself to be even more alert when around Robin.

The man tapped his foot lightly on the floor, sinking back into the shadows.

* * *

The door of the room hissed open and a small shadow stretched to its full length across the floor, a stroke of tainted black swimming in a pool of pure light.

Robin sighed and locked his bedroom door, leaning against its cool metal surface. He parted from its chill and threw himself onto his bed, seeking the blanket's comforting embrace.

A nagging tingle hailed his mind's attention from its seat at the back of his mind, and he ushered it forward, listening intently to its silent plea. His fingers twitched and he slowly pushed himself from the bed, ears perked and keen eyes scanning the room.

With the fluid grace that accompanied his circus upbringing, Robin flipped back and sent a roundhouse kick into the shadows. His foot was caught and he was thrown back onto his bed, bouncing slightly with his momentum.

"You should have been expecting me, little bird." Slade smirked behind his mask at the surprise written clearly across the boy's porcelain features. "I left you a note."

"More like a _warning_." Robin hissed. Slade chose to ignore the threatening tone of the boy's voice and quickly countered.

"One that you apparently failed to heed judging by your reaction." Slade drawled mockingly. "Ready to depart?"

"Depart?" Robin squeaked, his masked eyes widening in alarm. "Where am I going?"

"With me of course." Slade said, daring to smile at the dumbstruck look that now took control over Robin's poker face. His expression immediately smoothed and he opted to adopt his usual cool.

"You're serious about this?" he asked softly, the barest hints of fear and apprehension leaking from a fault in his icy facade.

"I am." Slade's eye narrowed dangerously, and he fingered his well stocked utility belt, a threat perched on the tips of his fingers, ready for discharge.

Robin nodded, almost thoughtfully, wide masked eyes roaming the perimeter. He turned reluctantly, mask tilted downward slightly, his face the perfect picture of defeat. Slade smirked, relishing every prick if sorrow and shame painted over his little bird's pretty face.

Deep inside him, a small annoying feeling nagged at the back of his mind, but its presence was too distant for him to grasp.

* * *

Robin stared up at the Tower, a look of forlorn sadness aging his porcelain features. The corners of his lips curled down into a frown and he reluctantly turned back to his company.

"Ready?" Slade questioned, dark eye searching his face, which Robin quickly smoothed, leaving no visible evidence of emotion. He motioned towards the black car that sat immobile a few feet behind him, its sleek frame glinting under a thin sheen of raindrops.

Robin looked at the man, masked eyes narrowed and mouth opening, an answer perched on the tip of his tongue, but his mind had begun to work again and his teeth clamped down on it.

How could he abandon his friends just like that? Leave _his_ city unprotected? What a terrible friend and hero he must be!

The coppery taste of blood washed over his taste buds from the fresh tear in his tongue, fully awakening his slumbering heroic spirit. His fingers twitched irritably and his muscles burned with the intent to kill. He felt his face heat up, and he flinched when he felt a strong hand fall on his shoulder.

"Are you ready, Robin?" Slade asked slowly, his voice lowered to a deep drawl.

Robin's lips curled into an animalistic snarl as he felt his anger towards the villain slowly flood back into him, fueling the enraged fire that mingled around his trained muscles.

_I should be ashamed of myself._ The Boy Wonder scolded himself. _There's no way I'm going down without a fight._

With a swift roundhouse kick, Robin sent Slade rolling away, the mercenary gripping his neck in pain. The boy silently thanked his steel-toed boots and took off running, his rage dying his vision a bloody crimson.

Slade landed with a grunt and quickly pulled himself up off the rocky ground, smirking behind his mask. The man had known the little hero would turn on him, he had been much too willing to abandon his friends and the city he swore to protect in the first place, but had also hoped for a fight. It would be the first lesson in Robin's training, and Slade would be sure to clip the little bird's wings.

"Oh, Robin." Slade's gruff voice shifted to one of mock-hurt. "You should know better then to turn on your mentor. Then again…" the man smirked cruely. "You have done it before…"

Robin felt his blood run cold and he shrieked in rage, ramming his fist into the villain's stomach. Slade easily parried the attack and ducked down to dodge the second fist. The blue-eyed teen also dropped to the ground and swiped his leg out, spinning around and swiftly knocking Slade's feet out from underneath him. Robin grinned in victory, but Slade appeared to have other plans, and grabbed the boy by his ankles, easily rising and easily tossing him aside as a child would with an unwanted toy.

The little hero hissed as he slowly pushed himself up onto all fours, pain rocketing up his right side from where he had landed roughly on a rather pointed rock. He knew he would earn a well colored bruise from the experience. He raised his fearful eyes, Slade's impossibly tall stature looming eerily over him.

Slade swiftly backhanded the boy, sending his dark head smashing into the ground. His body lay motionless…

The villain leaned down and picked up the Boy Wonder's limp body, easily balancing his meager weight and slinging him onto his back, hitching his long legs around his waist and thin arms around his neck. Slade hoisted him up for good measure, Robin's head lolling against the back of his neck, hot breath ghosting over his neck guard.

Slade involuntarily groaned and shook away the naughty thoughts that accompanied it. He had lost authority over his self control a few times too many over this little hero, and he was not about to let it happen again.

* * *

**A/N: **So I have a short note for those who are currently reading my drabbles! If there's anybody out there who has an idea for a drabble but is reluctant to write it themselves, I'm looking for ideas! Feel free to drop me a review or a message with your ideas and whatnot, and I'd be happy to write it, giving you full credit for the idea of course! Be it you have an idea, or just want to toss me a quick prompt, I'll be taking anything you guys got! Especially is you'd like some lemon... ;)

Yayz 4 smexyness! Drables 4 teh winz! -rolls on floor-


	3. Your New Life

**A/N: **Yaaaaaaaayyyyyyy! New chapter, my lovies! Am I the only one who wants to drop dead from exhaustion right now? Anyway, expect a new drabble in the next few days, it's a bit long and will be consist of several installments, but it's AWESOME. It's actually a bit of Sladin and Red X/Robin… so expect jealousy, attempted smexin' and some serious humor! xD Brace yourself!

* * *

**Chapter III : Your New Life**

_Oh god… everything hurts…_

Robin reluctantly opened his masked eyes, finding that the bright light of fluorescent bulbs were there to greet him. His head was throbbing, a sharp pain that flooded his body and made every fiber of his being pulse with every strong beat of his heart. His pupils fluctuated wildly behind his mask as he rocked his hips a bit to help ease his aching muscles, a jab of pain shooting from his right side at it protested from his slight shift in position.

"Mmmph…" Robin moaned, attempting to lift to hands to cover his sensitive eyes, but they felt uncharacteristically heavy and refused to be elevated over an inch's height. He looked down and quickly discovered the heavily padded leather restraints that held him firmly to what appeared to be a stainless steel examination table. "Fuck."

The Boy Wonder made a valiant effort to escape from his holds for a brief time before his head was prodded with a rather jarring pain. He leaned his head back onto the table and settled for visually scoping out the room, since physical exploration was clearly not possible.

The table he lay on was indeed an examination table, complete with the horribly thin sheet of paper that tears whenever one takes a breath. It was freezing, as Robin had expected, and appeared to have been produced custom with the added restraints. He couldn't help but marvel over how uncomfortable it managed to be, even though it was padded under the paper lining.

Across the room, Robin noticed the presence of his utility belt, its contents scattered across a wheeled table for examination. He spotted a few daring smoke bombs who had attempted escape, only to end up falling onto the cold, unforgiving floor.

The room itself seemed to be constructed of some sort of natural stone, light grey in color with splotches of darker shades here and there, and its surface appeared smooth to the touch. Robin vaguely wondered if they were underground as he scanned the walls, his mind working in overdrive to assist in the plotting of his location.

"Finally awake I see."

The Titan jumped in alarm, his minor panic attack cut short when he accidently slammed his head off the rather solid examination table. His hands twitched in a mixture of irritation and pain as he gently lowered his freshly smarting head back onto the cool metal, his pale features twisted in realization.

"Slade."

Robin dared crack open a blurry eyes to glare fiercely at the man. To his surprise and joy, Slade's face was hidden from sight, that familiar two-toned mask clamped firmly into place. Only that forever taunting dark eye was visible, glinting in was appeared to be amusement.

"Indeed." Slade said passively, fixing the restrained boy with a calculating eye.

"Where am I? Let me go!" Robin howled, resuming his battle with his limitations.

"Always the fighter." Slade chuckled, a sound that was foreign and momentarily startled the raven-haired teen, who quickly recovered and resumed his rebellion. He folded his hands behind his back and strode towards the hero. "You do realize that I restrained you so you would not harm yourself, correct? Though you will end up doing just that if you keep thrashing about."

Robin eyed him cautiously before settling back, relaxing his tense muscles and slowly lowering himself back onto the cool silver surface, the paper making a light crackling as he shifted.

"Good boy." Slade praised, and Robin felt his temper flare again. "Now then. You are at my secret base. Where? None of your business."

Robin snorted and rolled his eyes.

"You haven't honored my second request." he said.

"And what was that?"

"LET ME GO!" the blue-eyed Titan snarled and Slade chuckled at the fire that managed to show beyond even the obscuring lenses of his mask.

"Have you forgotten our deal so quickly, _apprentice_?" Slade purred, smirking behind his mask. He almost laughed out loud at the look of surprise that crossed his little bird's face. "Now stop moving. I'm going to loosen the restraints."

Robin nodded dumbly, mind racing, and started when Slade's gloved hand touched his own. It was big and warm, and he couldn't hold back the shiver that raced down his spine. The hero frowned and locked away the reaction for future examination. He quickly snatched his hand away from the padded buckles and out from under Slade's warm fingers.

Slade fixed the boy with his even gaze, then turned, resuming the task of unbuckling the tightly held leather restraints. He allowed his fingertips to linger on Robin's lean thigh, ghosting over the green tights before he moved further down and released the straps that held his thin ankles down.

Robin scowled at the man and swung his legs over the side of the table, massaging his thighs to coax the blood back into proper circulation. Once he regained full use of them, he jumped down from the cold surface, his steel plated boots sending a resounding clap echoing around the room, where it continued down the hallway from which Slade had entered.

"Come." Slade's voice shattered the tense silence, turning and striding down the aforementioned hallway.

"Where're we going?" Robin asked hesitantly.

Slade looked at the teen, noticing his tense muscles and slightly bent knees. To him, the child had just adopted the stance and expression of a young fawn caught in the headlights of an oncoming semi.

He reached a gloved hand forward and, briefly noting the boy's instinctive flinch, took Robin by the shoulder, steering him through the doorway and down the corridor. His hand absently ran down the hero's tense shoulder blades, stopping to rest at the small of his back, fingertips planted firmly on the base of his spine.

Slade seemed perfectly at ease with the current situation, but Robin was completely _horrified_.

Being led by his arch nemesis through said arch nemesis' _home_… not exactly goal number one on his to do list.

_Fan-freaking-tastic._

Slade applied a bit more pressure to the left side of his hand, and Robin took the hint to turn right, bringing them down another corridor. A light shone faintly at the end, and the little hero felt his hopes for the luxury of civilization rise.

Robin glanced up at Slade's dark eye, quickly scanning for emotion before looking back ahead and focusing on the hand that was currently steering him around. It was warm against back, surprising given the thickly layered, protective gloves the man constantly wore. In fact, now that he chose to pay attention to such an aspect, Robin noticed that his whole body radiated heat…

_What the hell am I thinking? _Robin mentally howled and suddenly wished he could slap himself without making Slade suspicious. _Stop thinking… just… clear your thoughts… _Robin began to exercise the calming breathing techniques he was taught during his sidekick days, drawing in deep breaths through his nose and releasing them slowly through his mouth.

Slade pressed a bit harder into his spinal base, and Robin hurried up, now realizing that he had slowed during his panic attack.

The pair passed through and the hallway and entered a larger room, the dark hardwood floors and creamy caramel walls casting a warm sense of safety over the younger of the two. The blue-eyed hero took in the off-white of the couch and matching loveseat, a few black pillows lounging on each. A fireplace was situated on the wall in front of the glass top coffee table that rested in between the furniture, it's smoothly crafted surface the same dark red-brown as the flooring. It harbored no fire now, but Robin was sure that when it did, the room was any interior decorator's wet dream.

He could honestly say that he would never expect such fine taste in his enemy. Never would he have thought the man's home would be so… _normal_. He had expected an abundance of bloodstained concrete, plank-barred windows and prisoners suspended from rusty chains.

Robin was thrown back into reality when he realized his company was still there, and they exited the warm living room, heading down another corridor.

"Here we are."

Robin gazed around the kitchen, taking in the marble countertops and stainless steel appliance as he did with the living room. The floors and cupboards were the same wood as in the living room, but the counters were capped by black marble that shone brightly in the light, the white and pale grey veins that snaked through the black practically glowing. There were a few stools set up at the island that was situated in the middle of the kitchen, their plush padding carefully stitched in a creamy white that offset the black of their sculpted black metal bodies nicely.

The hero nearly smiled at the quaintness of it all, but quickly hid the quirk with a scowl when Slade looked down at him. The amusement glinting in that dark eye however, said that the man had seen the slight twitch of his lips.

Slade maneuvered the boy over to the island and pulled one of the stools out from under the overhanging countertop, looking at him expectantly. Robin arched a brow at the rather mannerly display, but stepped forward anyway. He couldn't help the blush that stained his cheeks crimson when he had to step up onto the base bar to hop up onto the stool, and his face flushed darker when the man chuckled at his minor struggle. The mercenary pushed him up to the counter, moving around to take a seat opposite of Robin.

As soon as Slade was seated, the air buzzed with a mechanical hum that caused Robin's instincts to go haywire. His muscles instantly tensed and his fingers twitched for his bo-staff, which he knew wasn't there.

The Slade-bot ambled through the doorway to the right of the refrigerator, opposite of the corridor in which Slade had brought him. It reached out and opened the right door of the fridge, pulling out various foodstuffs and setting them on the counter by the stainless steel sink.

Robin watched every move the metal man made with keen masked eyes, muscles tensed and ready if it suddenly decided to turn on him. Perhaps Slade had programmed it with a timer so it would attack him at a certain time!

_Quit being paranoid… _Robin was startled by how malicious the voice in the back on his mind sounded. _You're sitting here with an absolutely delectable hunk of man meat… how could you _possibly _be so tense?_

"Robin?"

Said Titan's head snapped up to stare at the mercenary with wide eyes, the surprise they held hidden by the frosted lenses of his mask. Unfortunately, it didn't hide the bright blush that painted his cheeks a very pretty shade of crimson.

"What?"

"I told you that there's no need to be afraid of the robot." the man said. He grabbed his mask and unclipped the clasp, sliding it off and setting it next to his elbow, his head moving back to its former position resting on his laced fingers.

Robin blushed darker in embarrassment and looked away, trying his hardest to ignore the probing eye that so blatantly stared at him. He was sure there was plenty of amusement shining in that dark eye, and he refused to meet Slade's taunting gaze.

"I'm not afraid of it!" Robin huffed, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at the mercenary from the corner of his eye. "S'not like it's gonna' attack me or something…" he added under his breath, but he knew Slade heard him, judging by the way he smirked smugly.

"I didn't set a trap of any sort." Robin snorted, rolling his blue eyes behind his mask. "Oh, stop. You're in no danger as long as I'm near."

Robin tried his best to appear indifferent to the statement, but he couldn't repress the butterflies that fluttered like deranged one-winged beasts in the core of his belly. He had never felt truly protected before, and having it so blatantly forced on him was a nice change of pace.

Even if it was Slade.

A sizzling sound was heard, and Robin's head whipped back, startled, to eye the metal man that clambered around behind Slade. It wandered about, tending to the food that was cooking on the stove. Eggs and bacon, Robin's nose informed him, and his mouth began to water as he realized he hadn't eaten since the morning before.

Slade smirked as full plates were placed in front of them, the boy's empty stomach rumbling as the delicious breakfast was placed before it, just in reach. The child's eyes grew wide and he reached for the fork that was placed nect tot eh plate, but soon thought better, and withdrew the gloved appendage as it burned.

"What?" Slade questioned, picking up his own fork and swirling the eggs around to help cool them off.

"How do I know this isn't some trap…?" Robin hissed, visibly bristling to Slade's surprise, and glared at the mercenary.

"You think I poisoned your food?" the man smirked, raising a brow in amusement. Robin however, did not find the situation as amusing as Slade did, and merely glared fiercely at him. "No need to worry, little bird. I did not poison your food or anything of the like." He lifted a forkful of scrambled eggs to his mouth. "Why would I go through the hassle of obtaining a worthy apprentice, only to kill him off?"

Robin fidgeted on his stool, mulling over the various scenes that could take place depending on which action he chose. He could eat the obviously delectable breakfast, but he would could risking his health or even his life. If he didn't he knew the man would force him to eat.

With turmoil splashing about in his head, Robin lifted the discarded fork to his lips and nearly inhaled the eggs. Damn they were good! The bacon came next, the crispy pork slices easily disappearing faster than Slade himself could see. He would have to keep an eye on this bacon obsession. He didn't need a fat apprentice.

When both the males were finished, plates and glasses empty, Robin hopped down from the stool and Slade steered him back out into the opposite corridor, leading him down until they reached was appeared to be a bedroom.

The bed was huge, layered in blood-red silk sheets and a black down blanket. The pillows were also down, thick and fluffy, and sported deep grey silk coverings. The frame of the bed was the same black metal of the stools in the kitchen, styled and crafted to seem simple yet modern at the same time.

On the opposite side of the room, a desk and computer monitors were set up. A single large screen was fixed on the stone wall and towered over the smaller ones, humbling them and sparking in all its high-tech glory.

A few feet down th wall from the desk was a door, a bathroom he presumed, and the blue-eyed Titan could make out the corner of a countertop and single sink handle. The dark redwood floors cut off into black tiles, the grouting in between a clean, pristine white.

Robin stared, fixated, at the bed with wide eyes, realizing now just how tired he truly was. After the wonderful breakfast the pair had indulged in, the hero could feel the food coma setting in, and his eyelids seemed uncharacteristically heavy. This bed looked wonderfully comfy, even though he was sure it couldn't rival his own canopy bed.

"This will serve as your room." Slade spoke up, and Robin jumped at the sound of his deep voice. "Change out of those clothes." Robin cringed and unconsciously withdrew further into his cape. "I shall provide you with other clothes."

This was obviously not a request, and Robin nodded slightly, allowing the man to herd him into the bathroom.

"You'll find everything you need here, including a toothbrush and other toiletries."

And with that, the door was closed, and Robin was left to his own devices.

* * *

Glancing around the bathroom, the raven swiftly began to open drawers, peering into them and digging about, searching for something, _anything_, that could assist him in his escape. Sure, the food was good and the décor was tasteful, but he sure as hell wasn't about to stay here anyway.

Finding nothing in the drawers but a few boxes of Band-Aids and a rather lacking first aid kit, Robin moved on to the medicine cabinet, pulling it open and moving aside a few various bottles. There was a few bottles of over-the-counter drugs and a bottle of old Neosporin, but nothing more useful than that.

Resigning with a big sigh of exasperation, the teen rolled his eyes and scanned the room, opening up the shower door and scoping out the shampoo bottles. He was startled to find that Slade wasn't lying, and that he possessed the exact brand of shampoo and conditioner that Robin used. Not only that, but there was the same face wash and body wash!

Robin shivered in alarm, stepping back out of the shower and slowly forcing himself to strip out of his clothes and step back inside, knocking the knobs on and waiting for the water to heat. The stream slowly warmed, and Robin found his hands moving up to peel his mask off, but the spirit glue refused him, and he frowned. He had seen an unmarked bottled in the medicine cabinet…

The Boy Wonder stepped out onto the cool tile floor, dripping, and padded over to the sink as quickly as he could manage without spraying water everywhere. He pulled the mirror back and peered around for the plain brown bottle he had spotted earlier. There it was!

Robin snatched up the small plastic bottle and turned it in his hands, seeing no official label or even a single clue written in pen or Sharpie. He really had no clue what this was, but it was his only choice, and he couldn't leave his mask on in the shower without weakening the glue and filling both the lenses and his eyes with unwanted soap and water.

He dabbed some of the clear liquid onto a cotton ball he scavenged out of a drawer, and rubbed it about his mask, peeling back the fabric until it was tossed onto the counter, ridding the wearer of his burden.

Robin reveled in the feel of being completely naked, both physically and mentally, and stepped back into the shower, allowing himself a bit of time to forget where he was and who he was with, focusing on his friends and how they were most likely working on a way to find him.

He showered slowly, scrubbing his hair with the fruity shampoo and running his soaped up hands down his body until he knew he could get no cleaner and stall no longer. The only reason he truly left the warm shower was because the water had begun to cool, and he didn't want to open the door to find an angry Slade fuming on the other side.

Then again, he didn't want to open the door at all, Robin realized as he wrapped a towel around his naked body. He didn't want Slade of all people to see him maskless and dripping, standing there half naked and dripping on his nice wood floors.

So the black-haired teen settled for slapping on his used mask, pressing the edges roughly to his now dry face to get the edges to adhere, and cracked the door open, peeking out into the bedroom.

There was no mercenary in sight, and the door was firmly closed, meaning he could dress and sleep without his 'master' breathing down his neck. Speaking of dress… Robin glanced over to see a pile of clothes folded and placed neatly on the bed. He scurried over and unfolded them, revealing a shirt and pair of shorts.

_Holy shit!_ Robin gasped as he took in the size of the clothes. _These must be Slade's…_ The boy hesitantly brought the large white shirt to his face and inhaled deeply, locking away the musky scent in his mind for further examination. The shirt would hang off his shoulders, and the shorts would fall off him no doubt.

Undressing quickly, Robin slipped under the covers, reveling in both the silky sheets and the huge clothes he was currently drowning in. he sighed and snuggled his face into the soft downy pillow, imagining that it was his own, even though it smelled of the familiar scent of Kevlar and steel that he had come to recognize as Slade's own unique scent.

The young Titan's eyelids grew heavy and slowly slipped closed as he fell asleep, snuggled into the mountain of blankets, his small form dwarfed by the sheer mass of the bed he lay in.

Just as he was about to drop into blissful unawareness, a strong arm wound around his waist, and the child yelped in alarm and jumped away from the invading body. He would had fallen off the bed and smashed his head off the small bedside table had the arm not tightened around him and pulled him flush against an impossibly large and warm chest, causing his face to blaze as he realized just what he was laying against.

"Easy there, little bird." a deep voice rumbled, and Robin felt the vibrations of a chuckle wrack the broad chest he was comfortably resting against. "Wouldn't want you to harm that pretty face on the table now would we?"

Robin, who had slowly managed to claw his way back into reality, blushed and shoved his small hands against the very broad and very _naked _chest, stuttering and clamoring for words in his embarrassment.

"S-Slade? What are you doing?" he squeaked, and his struggle ceased when he was only pulled closer, squeezed up against the warm skin, the masculine scent filling his nostrils and causing his head to spin.

"This is my bed." Slade said simply. "I have no other for you to use, so you will sleep here with me. Plus, I can keep an eye on you this way."

"But-!"

"Shhh…" Slade breathed, and Robin gradually sagged against the man, gasping slightly and listening to the steady best of the strong heart beneath his ear. He felt his eyes closing, and noted the shifting of his body, but he was too far gone to notice anything else but the musky smell of his worst enemy and the dampness of his own hair.

* * *

**A/N: **Yeah, yeah, I know I jumped into the bed-Sladin too fast, but I couldn't help myself! I ended up surprising Robin by tossing Slade under the covers, so I guess I unconsciously used it as an excuse to start the lovin' right now… I made this chapter extra long and descriptive, so forgive me, please…? :'3

Also, as I side not I suppose, for thoseo of you who sent me ideas and prompts for my drabbles (keep 'em comin' guys!), they will be a bit delayed, as I have been uber busy with a drabble that consists of several installments... se keep your eyes open for **In Heat** a wonderfully long drabble-ish thing that stems from **Wynjas' **story **Is There a Vet in the House**!


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